Collapsible carriage and shackle mounting therefor



June 23, 1942. v4s. KROLL. ETAL 1 2,287,315

l COLLAPSIBLE CARRIAGE" AN) SHACKLE MOUNTING T'HEREFOR i Filed Dec. 6r 1940i 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS.

June`23, 1942. s KROLL E1- A| 2,287,315

'y COLLAPSIBLE CARRIAGE AND SHACKLE MOUNTING THEREFOR Filed Dec. 6., 1940 ZSheetS-Sheet 2 Patented June 23, 1942 COLLAPSIBLE CARRIAGE AND SHACKLE MOUNTING THEREFOR Samuel Kroll and Nathan J. Kroll, Chicago, Ill. Application December 6, 1940, Serial No. 368,755

(C1. 2go-47) 5 Claims.

This invention relates to baby carriages and more particularly to the running gear orchassis structure thereof and has for its principal object the provision of an improved construction which will be highly eiiicient in use and economical in manufacture.

The present invention constitutes an improvement in that shown in our companion application filed on even date hereof and bearing Serial No. 368,754.

An object of this present invention is to compensate for the weight disposed upon the carriage body either by the occupant thereof or from any other source, thus preventing the transposition of this weight to the weaker parts of the chassis structure resulting in preventing the buckling or rupturing of the chassis structure, which buckling or rupturing throws the parts of the chassis structure out of alignment with respect to each other, or otherwise results in too free play between these parts to the detriment and discomfort of the occupant and the operator.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side sectional detail view of a carriage embodying our invention and shown in collapsed condition;

Fig. 2 is a side part sectional detail view of the carriage in extended position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan stantially on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail View of the same taken substantially on line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail view of the same taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side sectional detail view of the chassis structure showing a modified form of construction of our invention;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional detail view of the same taken substantially on line 1 1 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional detail view of a shackle structure embodying our invention and illustrating a modified form over that shown in Fig. 6.

Referring more particularly to Figs. l to 5 inclusive, IG indicates the wheels of a carriage. These wheels are mounted upon axles I I and I2. These axles are mounted through bearing structures to be presently described, upon chassis side bars I 3, The axle I2 has associated therewith the usual stabilizing device, generally indicated view taken subat it, and comprising bar members secured to the axle I2 as at I5, and an attaching bracket I6 secured to the bottom I1 of the carriage body I8.

Carried by the axles II and l2 are shackle structures i9 connected in a manner to be hereinafter set forth to the corresponding end portions of the scissors arm i3', arranged in pairs, with the arms of each pair pivotally connected as at 2t intermediate their end portions and with the upper end portions pivotally secured to the body i8 as at 2i.

To corresponding pairs of the scissors arms I9 is adjustably secured a handle 22 locked in extended position by 'suitable latching mechanism constituting no part of the present invention other than being preferred, though not necessary, in a baby carriage employing our invention.

Each of the shackle structures i9 comprises a U-shaped bar 24, the ends of which are connected as at 25 to the axle with which it is associated. In the limb portions 2e of the shackle it? are provided elongated slots 2l within which is arranged for slidable movement a shackle pin Z3, and to this shackle pin 28 the lower end of the scissors arm IS with which it is associated, is connected. Bearing upon the bight portion 29 of the shackle bar 2t and held in place by suitable pins 3Q are spring members 3|, the ends of which are connected as at 32 to the shackle pin 28.

. The bearing members for the axles II and I2 each comprise an adjustable bearing plate 33 disposed beneath an adjacent portion of the chassis side bar I3 with which it is associated and having side wall portions 34 disposed adjacent the side edges of such chassis side bar, whereby the plate 33 may be guided in its movement longitudinally of said bar I3.

Formed in the bar I3 with which this bearing plate 33 is associated, is an elongated slot 35 and operable in Ythis slot 35 is a connecting pin 36, carried by the bearing plate as at 3l. Upon this bearing plate 33 forwardly of the pin 36 is the wheel-bearing axle of the carriage. This plate 33 has a reduced end portion 33 projected through an opening 39 formed in a depending lug 40 provided bythe chassis side bar, Threaded upon this extended portion of the plate 33 is a wing nut 4I. The arrangement is such that by adjusting the wing nut fi! of each of the bearing structures, the relative distance between the axles may be increased or decreased, depending upon the weight imposed upon the chassis .parts through the body I 8. Thus, it will be apparent that as .the child increases in. weight, the operator of the carriage may adjust the wing nuts 4I, Yso as to vary the distance between the axles I I and IZ to compensate for this increased weight, which may be evidenced by an observation of the chassis side bars when it will be found that as the weight increases their tendency is to buckle. The buckling of these bars is prevented by the use of the bearing structure and springecompensating shackles hereinbefore described.

The present invention has all the advantages explained in our previous application, hereinbefore identied, and like our previous invention the shackle bars of one of the axles of the present structure may be xed rather than adjustable.

In Figs. 6 and 7 we have illustrated a modied form of construction over that previously described. In this description the end 42 of each of the scissors arms I9 is pivotally secured as at 43 to a connecting link 44. The lower end of this connecting link 44 carries a pin 45, to which the end portions 4G of shackle springs 4l are secured, the other opposite ends 48 of the shackle springs 41 being secured to the bearing sleeve 49 of the wheel-bearing axle.

Formed in the opposite end portions of the connecting link are spaced openings i] through any one of which is adapted to be projected the shank of a set screw 5I. On this connecting link 44 is a stop 52 which limits the adjustment oi the link relative to the side scissors arm with which it is associated.

The arrangement is such that to compensate for the additional weight imposed upon the chassis structure of the carriage or the looseness of any of the parts of the chassis structure, the operator will remove the set screw 5I, adjust the link 54 relative to the scissors arm l', to a position which it is deemed necessary to oompensate for the additional weight. After such adjustment, the set screw 5I is then mounted in its new adjusted position. The advantages of this structure carry with it all the advantages hereinbefore explained, and it will be apparent that this structure is comparatively simple in construction, yet highly efficient in use.

In Fig. 8, we have shown a modified form of construction of the shackle over that shown in Fig. 6. In this connection, we have employed the shackle employed in the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. Reference to such shackle structure may be had for an understanding of the shackle structure illustrated in Fig. 8, and similar parts are designated by like reference characters.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. We therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a carriage running gear structure having side bars, and a wheelbearing axle, bearing structures for said axle each comprising a bearing plate, means providing slidable adjustable connection between the plate and the side bars, and means for manually adjusting said plate relative to said side bars, said last-named means comprising a threaded portion on said bearing plate and a wing nut threaded thereon, and a spring shackle carried by said axle and adjustable therewith.

2. In combination with a carriage running gear structure having side bars, and a wheel-bearing axle, bearing structures for said axle each comprising a bearing plate, means providing slidable adjustable connection between the plate and the side bars, and means for manually adjusting said plate relative to said side bars, said last named means comprising a threaded portion on said bearing plate and a wing nut threaded thereon, and a spring shackle carried by said axle and adjustable therewith, and carriage body frame members adjustably carried by said shackle.

3. In a baby carriage of the class described in which there is a chassis structure comprising opposite chassis side bars and a pair of spaced wheel bearing axles extending transversely of the side bars, a carriage body, supporting means for said body comprising opposite pairs of scissors arms having their lower end portions extending to a point substantially below the plane of the longitudinal axis of said axles, spring means carried by the axles and extending downwardly and inwardly between said axles and below said plane and connected to the lower extremities of said scissors arms, and means providing the connection between said spring means and said lower extremities of said scissors arms.

4. In an adjustable axle structure for a baby carriage running gear comprising a chassis structure having parallelly disposed side bars and a wheel bearing axle spanning said side bars, the provision of bearing structures for said axles each comprising, in combination, a bearing plate, said bearing plate being channel-shaped and disposed with the free ends of its ilange portions embracing said side bars, said axle extending through the ange portions of said bearing plate between said side bar and the web of said channel-shaped bearing plate, an elongated slot formed in said side bar, pin means aixed to the web of said channel-shaped bearing plate and extending through said elongated slot, and means for manually adjusting said plate relative to said side bars, said last-named means comprising a downwardly extending apertured lip on said side bar adjacent said elongated slot, a threaded portion extending longitudinally from the web of said bearing plate, through said apertured lip, and a wing nut threaded on said threaded portion.

l5. In a baby carriage of the class described in which there is a chassis structure comprising opposite chassis side bars and a pair of spaced wheel bearing axles extending transversely of the side bars, a carriage body, supporting means for said body comprising opposite pairs of scissors arms having their lower end portions extending to a point substantially below the plane of the longitudinal axis of said axles, a U shaped shackle having the free end portions of its legs carried by the axles and extending downwardly and inwardly between said axles below said plane, elongated slots formed in the legs of said U shaped shackle, a shackle pin arranged to slide in said slots and spanning the legs of said U shaped shackle, the lower extremities of said scissors arms arranged between said shackle pin, and spring means arranged between said shackle pin and the bight portion of said U shaped shackle.

SAMUEL KROLL. NATHAN J. KROLL. 

